This invention relates to air ventilation and circulation, and more particularly to a combination air circulation fan and fan shroud adaptor assembly for air intake, air circulation and air exhaust within a building.
Agricultural and horticultural buildings require attention to appropriately control the temperature, moisture and atmosphere therein throughout the fall, winter, spring and summer. Air intakes are known to adjustably permit volumes of fresh air to be drawn from the outside through the intake into a building typically by action of an exhaust fan.
It is well known that seasonal problems occur in controlling the atmosphere within poultry, dairy, hog, calf and horse barns or buildings. The air within such buildings becomes stagnant and ridden with ammonia, moisture and odors--all detrimental to the health and production of poultry and animals. In the summer, it is necessary to cool the buildings to prevent heat stress, to control flies and flying insects, and to maintain production levels of animals otherwise exposed to high temperatures. In the winter, agricultural buildings are typically plagued with inconsistent air temperatures throughout the buildings and cold air drafts exist which may be detrimental to poultry and animals. Further still, the ceilings, walls and floors of agricultural buildings in the winter are often damp with moisture or condensation.
In the past, agriculturalists and farmers have used integrated systems of variable speed exhaust fans, suitably controlled by thermostatically controlled speed modulators together with air intakes. Air intakes react to the withdrawal of air within the building by exhaust fans as well as the static pressure changes associated with enclosed buildings as they let fresh air into or out of the building. Such systems are complex and require a multiplicity of air intakes, exhaust fans and possibly also circulation fans in order to permit high velocity air exchange and circulation for cooling in the summer and gentle, draft-free air exchange and movement during the winter months.
There is a need for a combination circulation fan and fan shroud adaptor assembly which will permit the unit to work as an air intake, an air circulation fan and an air exhaust fan. The assembly should be readily convertible from one mode to another with minimal effort as well as not being too expensive but rather economical to manufacture and acquire.